Press Release

The PHA-ZE 100 19 seat electric amphibious aircraft.

Issued by Jekta Switzerland SA.

November 3, 2022

Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2022 was recently held at Al Bateen Executive Airport in the centre of the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi for the tenth time. After a four-year break due to the Covid 19 pandemic, it was more anticipated than ever. That is why this forum of aviation industry leaders brought together more than 300 participants and 100 aircraft from all segments of business and general aviation.

Sustainability and green aviation were key to strategic priorities, not only for the aviation business globally but also for this exhibition. The Jekta PHA-ZE 100, a 19-seat electric amphibious aircraft, has become the focus of exhibitors looking to the future of civil aviation in United Arab Emirates beyond.

UAE is a country where practical attention is paid to the development of green technologies and the preservation of the health of the planet. This was once again confirmed by representatives of the royal family. H.E. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamed, H.E. Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, H.E. Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri and other UAE officials that visited the Jekta booth and were keenly interested in the new aircraft.

It is noteworthy that the presentation of the project took place on November 2nd, the day of 75th anniversary of the first flight of the world's largest seaplane, the H-4 Hercules, an iconic aircraft that was destined to connect all continents of the planet. Therefore, it marks a special occasion that after a half century hiatus in new developments of this undeservedly forgotten segment of civil aviation the Swiss company announced the the PHA-ZE 100, a completely new amphibious passenger aircraft with a displacement body.

PHA-ZE 100 will create a segment of sustainable transport mobility for the population of islands, coastal megacities and settlements.

It is no coincidence that airlines from Norway, a country that, together with other Scandinavian neighbours, plans to abandon fossil fuels by 2030, are very interested in this aircraft and have held talks with Jekta at the Abu Dhabi 2022 for the purchase of several PHA-ZE 100 aircraft.

“Investors, production partners, operators see the prospects of PHA-ZE 100 as the one to revive the economy of coastal and island states, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use its unique capabilities to operate in the tourism sector while preserving nature in its original form. This is a further indication that we are on the right track, and is an inspiration for our team,” says George Alafinov, CEO of Jekta Switzerland S.A. “Despite the fact that we are a company that is two years old, Jekta brings together specialists from various countries with many years of experience in the design, production and operation of amphibious seaplanes. We understand that we have announced an ambitious project at the Abu Dhabi exhibition, one that requires concentration of practical knowledge, unique experience, bold investments and perseverance in achieving its non-trivial goals. Participation in Abu Dhabi 2022 gives us full confidence that our project will be succesful and at one of the next exhibitions in Abu Dhabi we will show a flying model of our electric amphibian.”

PHA-ZE 100 (Passenger Hydro Aircraft Zero Emissions) is a 19-seat passenger amphibious seaplane made of composite materials. The aircraft presented at the exhibition is a high-wing layout with 10 electric motors and batteries located in the wing. The large-volume displacement body with three seats in a row makes it possible to provide passengers with unprecedented comfortable conditions in flight. The aircraft can also be executed in business, passenger, cargo-passenger and ambulance configurations. The aircraft is able to cover 150 km at a cruising speed of 135 knots, take off in a wave height of 1.2 m, while stall speed in the landing configuration will not exceed 50 knots. The batteries can be quickly changed or recharged within 45 minutes. The aircraft can also be retrofitted with fuel cells, once the technology becomes available.

Innovative and with unparallel technical capabilities, the PHA-ZE 100 is the most advanced amphibious aircraft on the market.